Statistical driven tournaments

ABSTRACT

The subject disclosure relates to systems and methods for ranking video game players based on performance statistics recorded during game-play. In some aspects, a process of the subject technology can include operations for receiving a first set of game-play attributes including two or more game-play statistics for measuring a first player&#39;s performance relative to a first game and a second game, receiving a second set of game-play attributes including two or more game-play statistics for measuring a second player&#39;s performance relative to the first game and the second game, and automatically ranking the first player and the second player based on the first set of game-play attributes and the second set of game-play attributes. Systems and computer-readable media are also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation and claims the prioritybenefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/908,722 filed Feb. 28,2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,065,548, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

Aspects of the subject technology relate to the creation and managementof online gaming leagues, and in particular, to an online platform forautomatically managing player rankings in asynchronous online gamingcompetition.

2. Description of the Related Art

Like any popular competitive activity, such as football, card games andboard games, online games have a large following of fans that appreciatecompetitive games and highly skilled players. As with other games, suchfans also enjoy structured competition amongst peers of comparable skilllevel. For example, by encouraging a competitive atmosphere amongstpeers, fantasy sports leagues and competitions have become a widespreadactivity. While fantasy leagues for a variety of sports are now widelyavailable, comparable leagues for online games are not readily availablefor non-professional players.

SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED INVENTION

Embodiments of the claimed invention include methods and systems formanaging an online gaming league and in particular, for performingplayer rankings across multiple game titles and game-play statistics.Such systems may include a network interface that is configured toreceive a first set of game-play attributes comprising two or moregame-play statistics for measuring a first player's performance relativeto a first game and a second game, and a second set of game-playattributes comprising two or more game-play statistics for measuring asecond player's performance relative to the first game and the secondgame. In some aspects, the discloses systems may further includeprocessors that execute instructions stored in non-transitory memory toautomatically rank the first player and the second player based on thefirst set of game-play attributes and the second set of game-playattributes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Certain features of the subject technology are set forth in the appendedclaims. However, the accompanying drawings, which are included toprovide further understanding, illustrate disclosed aspects and togetherwith the description serve to explain the principles of the subjecttechnology. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a network environment in which someaspects of the technology can be implemented.

FIG. 2 conceptually illustrates the ranking of players across multiplegame titles in an asynchronous competitive gaming environment.

FIG. 3 illustrates steps of an example process for monitoring onlinegame-play for a plurality of players, and raking users based onmulti-title game play performance.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an electronic system with which someaspects of the subject technology can be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description ofvarious configurations of the subject technology and is not intended torepresent the only configurations in which the technology can bepracticed. The appended drawings are incorporated herein and constitutea part of the detailed description. The detailed description includesspecific details for the purpose of providing a more thoroughunderstanding of the technology. However, it will be clear and apparentthat the technology is not limited to the specific details set forthherein and may be practiced without these details. In some instances,structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order toavoid obscuring the concepts of the subject technology.

Competitive gaming, commonly referred to as electronic sports or“eSports,” involve the play of video games in a competitive environment.Videogame competitions have existed for nearly as long as video gamesthemselves. Early competitions were set up as tournament style matchesbetween players focused on one particular game, often tied to a newproduct release. Eventually, competitive leagues and a constant streamof tournaments evolved to provide structure for the eSports community.Players now have the option of competing in a vast array of professionaland amateur competitions held at physical locations or in virtualcompetitions conducted online. Leagues and content providers such asMajor League Gaming (MLG), and Global StarCraft® League, provideopportunities for competition and to find information about competitivegaming. Until recently, participation in competitive gaming hasdemonstrated a gradual and steady pace in growth. However, competitivegaming is presently undergoing a rapid expansion in participation andinterest.

Unlike fantasy gaming leagues, such as fantasy football,non-professional players of online games have limited ability to createand manage their own leagues in which players a similar skill level cancompete. Additionally, online gamers lack access to a centralizedplatform that can be readily configured to perform player rankings, andthat are based on player determined metrics and/or attributes acrossmultiple game titles. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide agaming platform to flexibly permit the creation of leagues by bothprofessional and non-professional players, as well as to manage theautomatic scoring and ranking of players based on developer and/orplayer determined metrics (e.g., game-play statistics) that are selectedfor multiple different game titles.

The subject technology addresses the foregoing limitations by providinga gaming league platform that facilitates the creation and management ofcustomized gaming leagues. In some aspects, the gaming league platformcan be configured to receive various game-play attributes, for example,from a league organizer or player that specify various gamecharacteristics and game-play statistics to be used for rankingcompetitive users/players. Specified game characteristics can include agame genre (e.g., fantasy), or a game format (e.g., first personshooter), etc. Game-play statistics can correspond with measurablestatistical metrics pertaining to game play, such as a number of pointsscored, levels reached, or difficulty modes that have been unlocked.Game-play attributes, including game-play statistics and/orcharacteristics can be specified for a single game title, or formultiple titles. As such, league organizers or other competitive playerscan create custom tailored competitions in which player rankings areautomatically performed based on player selected criteria acrossmultiple game titles.

As also discussed in further detail below, game-performance attributescan also be used to specify conditions for the particular league inwhich the competition is conducted. For example, game performanceattributes can be used to set a duration of the league's competition(i.e., a “season” length), a requisite skill level for inclusion in theleague, and/or specific parameters for restricting participation tocertain players, e.g., an access control list.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of network environment 100 in which someaspects of the technology can be implemented. Environment 100 includespublic network 102, which can include one or more private networks, suchas, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or a networkof public/private networks, such as the Internet. Public network 102 iscommunicatively coupled to gaming network 104 that represents a networkof computing resources configured for implementing gaming leaguemanagement system 112 of the subject technology.

Public network 102, and gaming network 104 provide player and developeraccess to league management system 112. As illustrated, players 108,109, and 110 are permitted access to league management system 112 usingrespective client devices (e.g., 108A, 109A, and 110A). Although clientdevices 108A, 109A, and 110A, are depicted as personal computingdevices, it is understood that the client devices can include varioustypes of processor-based systems, including but not limited to: gameconsoles, smart phones, tablet computer systems, and the like. Exampleof hardware systems that can be used to implement the client device arediscussed in further detail below with respect to FIG. 4. Similarly,developers (e.g., 105, 106 and 107), are permitted access to leaguemanagement system via respective their computing systems (e.g., 105A,106A, and 107A).

It is understood that a greater (or fewer) number of players and/ordevelopers can be engaged with environment 100, without departing fromthe scope of the technology.

In practice, league management system 112 is configured to create andsupport tournament style competitions between various players and formultiple different game titles, for example, to facilitate playercompetition across game genres, such as, real-time strategy (RTS) games,adventure games, puzzle games, and the like.

Because the metrics that are used to evaluate player performance for aparticular game can vary widely between game title and type, in someaspects, game developers are encouraged to provide an indication of thespecific game-performance attributes that should be used to evaluateplayer performance for the developer's game.

By way of example, developers 105, 106, and/or 107 can be developers ofdifferent game titles, each of which is associated with a differentgenre. To facilitate league competition for their games, each of thedevelopers can submit game-performance attributes to the league, e.g.,using respective computing systems 105A, 106A, and 107A. In a similarmanner, the creation of gaming leagues and corresponding leagueparameters can be managed at the player level, for example, by one ormore of players 108, 109, and/or 110. That is, individual players orplayer collectives can provide specific game-performance attributes thatthey would like implemented to structure their own individualized leagueplay.

Although game-performance attributes can include virtually any type ofinformation that can be used in conjunction with the creation,execution, management, and/or promotion of a gaming league, in someaspects, game-performance attribute information can include gamecharacteristics, including but not limited to one or more of: a “matchtype,” “event information,” and/or a player access list, etc. Gameattributes information can also include game statistics, including butnot limited to “high-level” player statistics such as: win/loss records,play time duration, levels achieved, points scored, and/or an ELOrating, etc. In some aspects, game statistics include “low-level” playerstatistics, including but not limited to: map-position information,map-path information, shots fired, time with rifle, time in kneel, timerunning, time to first fix, time to acquire a target, (e.g.,“quick-draw” metrics), and/or measures of player/avatar health, etc.

The game-performance attributes, including game characteristics andgame-play statistics can be received and recorded by league managementsystem 112, for example, using an application programming interface(API), such as API 114. Subsequently, the game-performance attributescan be passed from API 114 to statistics module 116 for use in playeranalysis. In a similar manner, game-play statistics can be collected byAPI 114 and passed to statistics module 116. Depending onimplementation, game-play statistics can be collected via activemonitoring of an online game environment, or received from one or moreexternal systems, for example, as part of a game performance data setthat includes information describing individual player performance forone or more game titles and/or genre categories.

In some aspects, rankings can be automatically performed for multipleplayers based on player-specified game-attributes, including gamecharacteristic and game-play statistic information. As discussed infurther detail below with respect to FIG. 2, player providedgame-attribute information can be used to compare and rank playersacross different game titles and genres, as well as for differentstatistical measures of player performance for a given game title.

In some aspects, rankings can be performed for a specified time period(e.g., the last 2 months of play), for a predetermined number of gameplays (e.g., for 100 plays of a particular title), or for a “best-of”selection, e.g., by selecting the 3 best games played, or 5 best gamesout of 10, etc.

In other aspects, competition may endure for a predetermined timeperiod, before rankings are performed. Once league competition hasconcluded, league management system 112 can use the game performanceattributes, and game-play statistics to determine a ranking based onskill level for each player in a given league, e.g., usingprocessing/ranking module 118. Determinations of skill level can varydepending upon the specified game performance attributes, and can varybetween game titles, and/or game genres. By way of example, skill levelfor a given player can be based on one or more of: collected points, anumber of wins/losses, total game time, achieve difficulty level, and/ora number of “kills,” etc.

At the conclusion of league competition, designations of achievement canbe provided based on the overall ranking of a player or group ofplayers. For example, digital trophies or medals can be provided to thetop-ranked player (or player team), and published on an associatedplayer (or team) profile. By publishing player (or team)accomplishments, competition can be encouraged amongst users of theonline gaming environment, either on a game-by-game basis, aleague-by-league basis, or across various game genres.

In some aspects, players in a given league can be ranked into multiplecategories or “tiers.” By way of example, a “platinum” tier may bedesignated for the top 2% of players, a “gold” tier designated for thesubsequent 20% of players, a “silver” tier designated for the next 28%of players, and a “bronze” tier designated for the last 32%, etc.Subsequent to the conclusion of league play, players may be eitherpromoted (to a higher league tier), or demoted. By way of example, thetop 10% of players in a tier may be moved up in tier ranking, e.g., frombronze to silver, and the bottom 10% in the tier may be moved down,e.g., from gold to silver tier.

The ranking of players within a given league also facilitates theranking of various leagues into league hierarchies. For example, playerscategorized into the top tier of their respective league at theconclusion of a league competition may have the option of joining ahigher league once competition resumes, i.e. in the subsequent “season.”Similarly, low performing players may be demoted down the leaguehierarchy once competition resumes.

FIG. 2 conceptually illustrates the ranking of players across multiplegame titles in an asynchronous competitive game-play environment 200.Environment 200 includes ranking system 212 that is configured toreceive game-play attribute information resulting from player engagementwith various game titles, e.g., via network 202. In the example of FIG.2, each of the players (e.g., Players_(1-N)) can be engaged with adifferent set of game titles. For example, Player₁ plays game titles A,B, and C, Player₂ plays titles A, G, C, and Player₃ plays titles A, F,C, etc.

In practice, player competition across one or more game titles can beasynchronous. That is, each player may play different game titles at adifferent time. However, user performance information with respect toeach title (for each player) can be recorded, (e.g., by leaguemanagement system 112, discussed above), and used to determine relativeplayer rankings, e.g., using ranking system 212.

In some aspects, player rankings may be determined across multiplecommon game titles. As illustrated in FIG. 2, each of the players playsa slightly different mix of games, however, each player engages withtitles A and C. As such, scoreboard 215 can include relative playerrankings for common titles A and C.

Because rankings are determined based on game-play attributes collectedfrom asynchronous user game-play, rankings for different user selectedcriteria can be determined on a post hoc basis. For example, Player₁ mayinitiate a competitive ranking with any number of other players byspecifying any of one or more titles, one or more game characteristics,and/or one or more game-play statistics for which the ranking is to beperformed. By offering the ability to collect asynchronous game-playattributes for each player, and for players to specify the metrics usedfor ranking competitive play, new player-defined leagues can be createdfor any number of player participants, and for any number of gametitles.

However, it is understood that the ranking process of the disclosedtechnology is not limited to comparisons between different players forthe same game. In some implementations, player rankings may bedetermined for similar metrics across different titles. By way ofexample, players may decide to see competitive rankings for kill ratesin different first-person shooter games, or for lap-speeds in differentracing games, etc.

FIG. 3 illustrates steps of an example process 300 for monitoring onlinegame-play for a plurality of players, and raking users based onmulti-title game play performance. Process 300 begins with step 302, inwhich a first set of game-play attributes is received, e.g., by aranking system, such as ranking system 212, discussed above. Thegame-play attributes can include two or more game-play statistics formeasuring a first player's performance relative to a first game and asecond game. That is, the first set of game-play attributes can includegame characteristic information and/or game-play statistics for multipletitles that are played by the first player. As discussed above, thereceived game-play attributes can describe include informationdescribing player interaction with virtually any number of game titlesand for any game genre. Subsequently, in step 304, a second set ofgame-play attributes is received, including two or more game-playstatistics for measuring a second player's performance relative to thefirst game and the second game.

In steps 302 and 304, game-play attributes for the first and secondplayer can be received as a result of a monitoring process, for example,that involves recording/storing game-play statistics based on playerperformance in playing a video game for a specific game title. Asdiscussed above, game-play statistics for a particular player caninclude information regarding any aspect of the player's performance orparticipation in an online game environment. For example, game-playstatistics can include indications of a number of wins/losses incurredby the player, a difficulty level achieved by the player, a total timespent playing or engaged in the game environment, a number of pointsaccumulated for various accomplishments/actions within the gameenvironment, and/or an associated ELO score.

In step 306, an automatic ranking of the first player and the secondplayer is performed based on the first set of game-play attributes andthe second set of game-play attributes. The ranking can be based on acomparison of at least one of the game-play statistics correspondingwith the first player's performance relative to the first game with atleast one of the game-play statistics corresponding with the secondplayer's performance relative to the first game, and a comparison of atleast one of the game-play statistics corresponding with the firstplayer's performance relative to the second game with at least one ofthe game-play statistics corresponding with the second player'sperformance relative to the second game

As discussed above, the metrics used to perform the rankings can bedetermined by a player, league organizer, or virtually any partyinterested in creating a league for competitive online game-play. Forexample, league organizers can include individual players (e.g., players108, 109, and 110) or game developers (e.g., developers 105, 106, and107), as discussed above. However, it is understood that other entitiesmay also provide game-play attributes necessary to organize leaguecompetition, without departing from the scope of the technology.

As discussed above, ranking can also be performed between various gamingleagues and/or cross entire game genres. For example, player rankingstatistics can be automatically determined for an entire collection ofgame titles belonging to a similar genre, such as, “first personshooter” games, or “real-time strategy” games, etc.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary user device 400. User device 400 (e.g., desktop,laptop, tablet, mobile device, console gaming system) is a device thatthe user can utilize to facilitate carrying out features of the presentinvention pertaining to the viewing of third party content.

The user device 400 may include various elements as illustrated in FIG.4. It should be noted that the elements are exemplary and that otherembodiments may incorporate more or less than the elements illustrated.With reference to FIG. 4, the user device 400 includes a main memory402, a central processing unit (CPU) 404, at least one vector unit 406,a graphics processing unit 408, an input/output (I/O) processor 410, anI/O processor memory 412, a controller interface 414, a memory card 416,a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface 418, and an IEEE 1394 interface420, an auxiliary (AUX) interface 422 for connecting a tracking device424, although other bus standards and interfaces may be utilized. Theuser device 400 further includes an operating system read-only memory(OS ROM) 426, a sound processing unit 428, an optical disc control unit430, and a hard disc drive 432, which are connected via a bus 434 to theI/O processor 410. The user device 400 further includes at least onetracking device 424.

The tracking device 424 may be a camera, which includes eye-trackingcapabilities. The camera may be integrated into or attached as aperipheral device to user device 400. In typical eye-tracking devices,infrared non-collimated light is reflected from the eye and sensed by acamera or optical sensor. The information is then analyzed to extracteye rotation from changes in reflections. Camera-based trackers focus onone or both eyes and record their movement as the viewer looks at sometype of stimulus. Camera-based eye trackers use the center of the pupiland light to create corneal reflections (CRs). The vector between thepupil center and the CR can be used to compute the point of regard onsurface or the gaze direction. A simple calibration procedure of theviewer is usually needed before using the eye tracker.

Alternatively, more sensitive trackers use reflections from the front ofthe cornea and that back of the lens of the eye as features to trackover time. Even more sensitive trackers image features from inside theeye, including retinal blood vessels, and follow these features as theeye rotates.

Most eye tracking devices use a sampling rate of at least 30 Hz,although 50/60 Hz is most common. Some tracking devises run as high as1250 Hz, which is needed to capture detail of very rapid eye movement.

A range camera may instead be used with the present invention to capturegestures made by the user and is capable of facial recognition. A rangecamera is typically used to capture and interpret specific gestures,which allows a hands-free control of an entertainment system. Thistechnology may use an infrared projector, a camera, a depth sensor, anda microchip to track the movement of objects and individuals in threedimensions. This user device may also employ a variant of image-basedthree-dimensional reconstruction.

The tracking device 424 may include a microphone integrated into orattached as a peripheral device to user device 400 that captures voicedata. The microphone may conduct acoustic source localization and/orambient noise suppression.

Alternatively, tracking device 424 may be the controller of the userdevice 400. The controller may use a combination of built-inaccelerometers and infrared detection to sense its position in 3D spacewhen pointed at the LEDs in a sensor nearby, attached to, or integratedinto the console of the entertainment system. This design allows usersto control functionalities of the user device 400 with physical gesturesas well as button-presses. The controller connects to the user device400 using wireless technology that allows data exchange over shortdistances (e.g., 30 feet). The controller may additionally include a“rumble” feature (i.e., a shaking of the controller during certainpoints in the game) and/or an internal speaker.

The controller may additionally or alternatively be designed to capturebiometric readings using sensors in the remote to record data including,for example, skin moisture, heart rhythm, and muscle movement.

As noted above, the user device 400 may be an electronic gaming console.Alternatively, the user device 400 may be implemented as ageneral-purpose computer, a set-top box, or a hand-held gaming device.Further, similar user devices may contain more or less operatingcomponents.

CPU 404, vector unit 406, graphics processing unit 408, and I/Oprocessor 410 communicate via system bus 436. Further, the CPU 404communicates with the main memory 402 via a dedicated bus 438, while thevector unit 406 and the graphics processing unit 408 may communicatethrough a dedicated bus 440. The CPU 404 executes programs stored in theOS ROM 426 and the main memory 402. The main memory 402 may containpre-stored programs and programs transferred through the I/O Processor410 from a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical disc (not shown) using theoptical disc control unit 432. The I/O processor 410 primarily controlsdata exchanges between the various devices of the user device 400including the CPU 404, the vector unit 406, the graphics processing unit408, and the controller interface 414.

The graphics processing unit 408 executes graphics instructions receivedfrom the CPU 404 and the vector unit 406 to produce images for displayon a display device (not shown). For example, the vector unit 406 maytransform objects from three-dimensional coordinates to two-dimensionalcoordinates, and send the two-dimensional coordinates to the graphicsprocessing unit 408. Furthermore, the sound processing unit 430 executesinstructions to produce sound signals that are outputted to an audiodevice such as speakers (not shown).

A user of the user device 400 provides instructions via the controllerinterface 414 to the CPU 404. For example, the user may instruct the CPU404 to store certain information on the memory card 416 or instruct theuser device 400 to perform some specified action.

Other devices may be connected to the user device 400 via the USBinterface 418, the IEEE 1394 interface 420, and the AUX interface 422.Specifically, a tracking device 424, including a camera or a sensor maybe connected to the user device 400 via the AUX interface 422, while acontroller may be connected via the USB interface 418.

It is understood that any specific order or hierarchy of steps in theprocesses disclosed is an illustration of exemplary approaches. Basedupon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order orhierarchy of steps in the processes may be rearranged, or that only aportion of the illustrated steps be performed. Some of the steps may beperformed simultaneously. For example, in certain circumstances,multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, theseparation of various system components in the embodiments describedabove should not be understood as requiring such separation in allembodiments, and it should be understood that the described programcomponents and systems can generally be integrated together in a singlesoftware product or packaged into multiple software products.

The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in theart to practice the various aspects described herein. Variousmodifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilledin the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied toother aspects. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to theaspects shown herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistentwith the language claims, wherein reference to an element in thesingular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specificallyso stated, but rather “one or more.”

A phrase such as an “aspect” does not imply that such aspect isessential to the subject technology or that such aspect applies to allconfigurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to anaspect may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. Aphrase such as an aspect may refer to one or more aspects and viceversa. A phrase such as a “configuration” does not imply that suchconfiguration is essential to the subject technology or that suchconfiguration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. Adisclosure relating to a configuration may apply to all configurations,or one or more configurations. A phrase such as a configuration mayrefer to one or more configurations and vice versa.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example orillustration.” Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” isnot necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over otheraspects or designs.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for creating custom rankings and customgaming leagues, the system comprising: memory that stores informationregarding a plurality of different game titles hosted by one or moregaming network devices; a communication interface that receives one ormore selected gameplay attributes and a plurality of selected gametitles, wherein the selected gameplay attributes and selected gametitles are received over a communication network from a deviceassociated with a league organizer; and a processor that executesinstructions stored in memory, wherein the processor executes theinstructions to: identify one or more gameplay statistics from each ofthe selected game titles that correspond to the selected gameplayattributes based on active monitoring of one or more game environmentsof the selected game titles, automatically rank one or more playersacross the selected game titles in accordance with the selected gameplayattributes, wherein ranking the players includes comparing theidentified gameplay statistics from each of the selected game titles,create one or more gaming leagues for the ranked players, the gamingleagues including a plurality of tiers, and assign the players to thetiers of the gaming leagues based on the ranking.
 2. The system of claim1, wherein the gameplay attributes are used to set at least one of aseason duration, a requisite skill level, or one or more parameters forrestricting participation in the gaming leagues.
 3. The system of claim1, wherein the players are automatically ranked over a predeterminedtime period.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected game titlesare from different game genres that track different types of metrics,and wherein the gameplay statistics corresponding to the selectedgameplay attributes are identified from the different types of metricstracked by the different game genres.
 5. The system of claim 1, whereinthe processor further executes the instructions to implement activemonitoring using one or more application programming interfaces (APIs)associated with each of the selected game titles hosted by one or moreof the gaming network devices.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein theprocessor further executes the instructions to: update the rank of theplayers in the gaming league based on gameplay statistics of the playersduring league competition of the gaming league; and reassign the playersto a different tier in the plurality of tiers based on the updated rank.7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further executes theinstructions to rank the one or more gaming leagues in a leaguehierarchy that includes a plurality of tiers.
 8. The system of claim 7,wherein the league hierarchy is based on the ranking of the players ineach of the gaming leagues.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein theprocessor further executes the instructions to publish informationregarding one or more awards at an end of league gameplay, wherein theawards associated with one or more players or teams.
 10. A method forcreating gaming leagues, the method comprising: storing information inmemory regarding a plurality of different game titles hosted by one ormore gaming network devices; receiving one or more selected gameplayattributes and a plurality of selected game titles via a communicationinterface, wherein the selected gameplay attributes and selected gametitles are received over a communication network from a deviceassociated with a league organizer; and executing instructions stored inmemory, wherein the instructions are executed by a processor to:identify one or more gameplay statistics from each of the selected gametitles that correspond to the selected game play attributes,automatically rank one or more players across the selected game titlesin accordance with the selected gameplay attributes, wherein ranking theplayers includes comparing the identified gameplay statistics from eachof the selected game titles, create one or more gaming leagues for theranked players, the gaming leagues including a plurality of tiers, andassign the players to the tiers of the gaming leagues based on theranking.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the gameplay attributes areused to set a season duration, a requisite skill level, or one or moreparameters for restricting participation in the gaming leagues.
 12. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the players are automatically ranked over apredetermined time period.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein theselected game titles are from different game genres that track differenttypes of metrics, and wherein the gameplay statistics corresponding tothe selected gameplay attributes are identified from the different typesof metrics tracked by the different game genres.
 14. The method of claim10, wherein the instructions are further executed to implement activemonitoring using one or more application programming interfaces (APIs)associated with each of the selected game titles hosted by one or moreof the gaming network devices.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein theinstructions are further executed to: update the rank of the players inthe gaming league based on gameplay statistics of the players duringleague competition of the gaming league; and reassign the players to adifferent tier in the plurality of tiers based on the updated rank. 16.The method of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executed torank the one or more gaming leagues in a league hierarchy that includesthe plurality of tiers.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the leaguehierarchy is based on the ranking of the players in each of the gamingleagues.
 18. The method of claim 10, further comprising publishinginformation regarding one or more awards at an end of league gameplay,wherein the awards associated with one or more players or teams.
 19. Anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereona program executable by a processor to perform a method for creatinggaming leagues, the method comprising: storing information in memoryregarding a plurality of different game titles hosted by one or moregaming network devices; receiving one or more selected gameplayattributes and a plurality of selected game titles via a communicationinterface, wherein the selected gameplay attributes and selected gametitles are received over a communication network from a deviceassociated with a league organizer; identifying one or more gameplaystatistics from each of the selected game titles that correspond to theselected gameplay attributes; automatically ranking one or more playersacross the selected game titles in accordance with the selected gameplayattributes, wherein ranking the players includes comparing theidentified gameplay statistics from each of the selected game titles;creating one or more gaming leagues for the ranked players, the gamingleagues including a plurality of tiers; and assigning the players to thetiers of the gaming leagues based on the ranking.